I've often wondered - and especially considering advances in manufacturing, materials, and the theoretical understanding of driver design - why doesn't someone recommence manufacturing speakers such as Corals?
Sure alnico may be expensive at present, but that wouldn't seem to explain it.
Is someone "squatting" on key patents? (Conspiracy theorists, there's your cue!)
It seems to me that the technology was abandonned for no apparent good reason, what with the prices demanded for Beta-8's, Beta-10's, and some of the "Flat" range.
As Julius Sumner-Miller was wont to ask: "Why is it so?"
cheers
Doug
Sure alnico may be expensive at present, but that wouldn't seem to explain it.
Is someone "squatting" on key patents? (Conspiracy theorists, there's your cue!)
It seems to me that the technology was abandonned for no apparent good reason, what with the prices demanded for Beta-8's, Beta-10's, and some of the "Flat" range.
As Julius Sumner-Miller was wont to ask: "Why is it so?"
cheers
Doug
Cuz the mass-market population doesn't give a crap about good sound. Teens and young adults today are as dumb as a box of hammers and expert slackers...
Result... No decent products...
Result... No decent products...
It wouldn't be the mass market. It'd be the DIY market.
Brisso57 said:
To hell with alnico. It's always so outrageously priced, and the advantages, if any (i've often seen it offered in a line of drivers with worse performance than the ferrite motor, Audio Nirvana for example), simply aren't worth it imo.
Nice thread subject though. I've been wondering this lately myself.
Why did Coral go out of business in the first place? AFAIK that happened 25+ years back and today's young adults were not even born at that time.
Um. How do you then explain the existence of Lowther, PHY, et al?
There has to be a better explanation.
cheers
Doug
As i understand it, they were bought by Audax (or someone) and then just shut down.
dave
A few points.
-The younger generation, coming from this 32 year old, is no more one of slackers or idiots than prior generations no doubt thought about all of us. There are always a few herberts, but that does not apply to the majority (granted, the state education system in the UK at least is not all it should be, but that's hardly their fault is it?)
-I note with interest on the various recent Coral-related threads, talk of some nebulous 'technology.' What exactly is this technology supposed to be? As far as I am aware, they were (for their type) simply well designed and engineered drive units.
-Re AlNiCo, it depends how you use it. Many manufacturers simply employ it as a marketing gimick -the same goes for rare-earth magnets. Both types can be stronger than ceramic / ferrite, & you often see remarks along those lines in advertising, but it depends how highly it's been magnetized, and the size of the magnet in the first place.
-The younger generation, coming from this 32 year old, is no more one of slackers or idiots than prior generations no doubt thought about all of us. There are always a few herberts, but that does not apply to the majority (granted, the state education system in the UK at least is not all it should be, but that's hardly their fault is it?)
-I note with interest on the various recent Coral-related threads, talk of some nebulous 'technology.' What exactly is this technology supposed to be? As far as I am aware, they were (for their type) simply well designed and engineered drive units.
-Re AlNiCo, it depends how you use it. Many manufacturers simply employ it as a marketing gimick -the same goes for rare-earth magnets. Both types can be stronger than ceramic / ferrite, & you often see remarks along those lines in advertising, but it depends how highly it's been magnetized, and the size of the magnet in the first place.
Perhaps "technology" is the wrong word, then.
What I meant was that the materials & manufacturing methods that made Coral Beta 8's didn't just vanish, so why hasn't someone leapt into the gap to provide drivers with similar capabilities that mere mortals , or at least those of us with families, can afford?
I'm not sue what a pair of coral Beta 8's cost back then, perhaps someone can tell us, and then we can allow for inflation ... to see what is around today for the same money.
That maybe will tell us if we're being dudded by some of today's suppliers.
cheers
Doug
The tech could easily disappear. Tooling, techniques, materials were highly guarded. Just like huge amounts of valve knowledge, much of the tech at the pinnacle of the 1st age of full ranges dissappeared with the companies & those that used/developed it.
dave
Depends how you look at it really. As Dave has alluded to, basic capabilities we have today are just as good or better; the real issue is that most driver engineers are no longer used to making units of this type, so they would have to re-educate themselves in the finer points of their design.
You'd be looking at ~Lowther prices.
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The Flat and Beta series all used ferrite magnets.. and were all very well made, especially the Beta series...
I've seen some earlier Coral Coaxial's that used alnico but those coaxials maybe because of their age.. normally had problems with the surrounds.
I've seen some earlier Coral Coaxial's that used alnico but those coaxials maybe because of their age.. normally had problems with the surrounds.
When it comes to Corals (and some other drivers too), magnets get a lot of attention and tend to be discussed more; but definitely other important features/technolgies must have been at work - type of paper, cone design, suspension, voice coil design etc.
Anything that really stands out looking/handling the Corals vs modern drivers? What was Coral doing different from a driver design point of view?
Anything that really stands out looking/handling the Corals vs modern drivers? What was Coral doing different from a driver design point of view?
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